KAMLA'S MASQUERADERS: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar poses with some excited children who are members of the Siparia Police Youth Group and who...

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday said she took no offence to several calypsoes at Dimanche Gras which not only criticised the People’s Partnership but made reference to an alleged drinking problem she has.

“I am not of the view that they were critical. Indeed, I found that three performers, they were not very critical of the Government. They sang their hearts out, they sang what they had to say and I enjoyed their songs,” a relaxed, smiling Persad-Bissessar told Newsday.

The PM was speaking at her Siparia Constituency Office in Penal yesterday afternoon, where the Siparia Women’s Association, of which she is the patron, was hosting its 19th annual Children’s Carnival Parade.

The 2014 Calypso Monarch, Roderick ‘‘Chucky’’ Gordon, earned his crown by singing the political commentary, “Wha Yuh Think” and his social commentary, “Wedding of De century.”

In the calypso, “Wha Yuh Think”, Gordon sang about the Prime Minister “taking a sip” to ease the tension of being the head of a coalition Government. Asked about her thoughts on Gordon’s cheeky calypso which was interpreted by some as being about the PM having a “drinking problem”, Persad-Bissessar said the lyrics were, “not allegations but comments”. She said calypsonians have the right to interpret things in their own way in their lyrics. “Chucky is entitled to his view. We have license, we have freedom of expression and Calypsonians are entitled to their views. If they see it this way, they sing this way. I am not troubled by that. It does not worry me,” Persad-Bissessar said as she hastened to congratulate Gordon on winning the calypso crown.

Persad-Bissessar also pointed out to rumours of her having a problem with alcohol first becoming a talking point during the election campaign leading up to the May 2010 General Election, which her PP coalition ended up winning 29 out of 41 seats.

“There are many people who know the truth and this has been a campaign against me since 2010 but I could not work in this manner if that (the drinking allegations) were true. I work very long hours...the media saw that up close in China. I’m there out front every single day,” Persad- Bissessar stated.